Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-30

We printed yesterday the platform
adopted on Wednesday by the Demo
critic State Convention Of New York,
and that adopted on the same day by
The Republican State Convention of
Massachusetts,.
These platforms afford another proof
that in q country as large as ours, aud
having interests SO diversified, it is not
easy to raise as between only two po-
litical parties such issues as vii, enable
the voters to divide according to their
opinions on each of the questions on
which two parties ought TO join issue.
Generally speaking, the radical differ
once between the Republican party
and the Democratic party is that the
formor fayors IL patonal government
a strong, centralized, consolidated
dospotiNu-whilst the latter favors "an
indssoluble union Of indestruchble
Staics, OF, in other words, would keep
the States within their proper sphere at
the same time that it would have the
Federal Government keep within its
proper sphere.
Therefore, on some questions, the
Democratic party and the Republican
party both formulate platforms which
must bc read between the lines in or
der that the full significance of the
language employed may b. understood.
Thus reading the Massachusetts Re
publican platform, We infer at once
that there are numerous Mugwumps
in that State whose votes tie Ecpubii-
cans expect TO capture by advocating
civilscrucc reform. Think Of it, That
the party which prostitu.od AL toe
Federal Offices in Virginia to the pur-
poses Of NAHoHE. giving him absolute
control over every one Of them, should
have the el'rontcry TO clam to be in
favor Of filing the Government Offices
with the best men without regard to
their politics. The Massachusetts, Re
Iubhcaus can take seat by their
ally MALONE on the impudence bench
lat hold. Tie Nation, the New
York EyuuHg Past, and other Mug
vmnp journals and voters having been
placated by profession OF devotion to
ciyil-sorvico reform, the other side must
have a plank. And SO the Massachusetts
Republicans resolve in favor Of proper
national aid to education "a plank
upon which the Mugwumps aforesaid
will rcsolutely refuse to stand.
1t is to the credit o! the Massachu-
sets Republicans that they denounced
"the recent unblushing frauds in cleo
tons "in several northern cities" But
they had previously charged upon the
Democrats the systematic suppress
sion" OF the Republican vote in the
southern States. 1t is amusing to read
this honest confession that in the
southern States the Republican vote is
the negro vote. What sort of party is
that which would put the property in
terests, to say nothing of schools, col
leges, &C., &C.. il the hands Of ignorant
negroes
The declaration Of the Massachusetts
Republicans that the time has come for
Congress to carefully consider thequ
ton of the acknowledgements system and
Of the tariff on sugar, and the improve
ment OF the administration OF our Gus
toms laws especially in regard to fraudu-
lent underyaluations, gives us reNsonto
hope that their representatives IN Con
gress will next winter aid the Demo
Gratis in the good work OF revenue re
form.
The demands" OF the Massl-
chusetts Republicans for the cessation
of the compulsory coinage Of silver.
the passage of national bankrupt
law, and protection of our fishery in
terests are among those local issues
which cannot well be raised in ma
tioAal creed. The West and South
united so solidly in favor of the silver
bill that they easily passed 1t over the
Presidents veto by a two-thirds vote.
As to "A bankrupt bill, We may say
that the same sections will prevent its
passage. 80 as to protecting t-e fish
ery interests otherwise than as all may
aeree that they ought to he protected.
Nor would q national Republican con-
yention dare TO endorse the Massa
chusetts hquorlaw plank.
The platform Of the New York Demo
Gratis was framed by men who live in the
erea, State wherein 50 many thousands
of foreigners land every year, and who
naturally think Of the interests of those
persons. There, too, the most OF the
customs duties are paid, and the Demo
Gratis necessarily know what they are
doing when they demand that Fedora
taxation be reduced by Il hundred mil
lions Of dollars annually. But they care
fully guard their language, and declare
that IN thus relieving the people from
unnecessary taxation they would have
"a due regard 10 the interests Of the
capital invested and the workingmen
employed in American industries -
the Roanoke and the Chicago tariff
plank. The New York Demo
Gratis were looking to their local
interests when they declared for ad.
hitting raw materials free Of duty.
The people Of Virginia are rich in these
raw materials, and do not intend 10
have their neighbors protected" at
their expense. But We can join them
in putting good many OF the 4.ls2
taxed articles On the elist. and in pass.
ing law to systematic, simplify, and
economic the machinery for tho col
lection OF customs.reyenue and espe-
rislly ipg making correct appraisemsats